Tuesday's Primary Could Be A Snoozer
MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) – This Tuesday voters will head to the polls to cast their ballots in Florida's Primary Election.
However, outside of some local, legislative and congressional races, the election could be a bit of a snoozer.
Unlike two years ago, when there were competitive primaries to pick Republican nominees for governor and attorney general and Democratic primaries for attorney general and U.S. Senate, there's only one statewide race on the ballot and even that's not stirring up excitement.
The race to see which Republican will face Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson seems to be all but forgotten after four major candidates, including former Sen. George LeMieux, dropped out. That leaves Rep. Connie Mack IV as the heavy favorite against former Rep. Dave Weldon, who doesn't have statewide name recognition or the money to effectively reach voters.
"There's hardly anything that's really driving folks to the polls at all," said Dan Smith, a University of Florida political science professor. "Having LeMieux dropout undercut some of the excitement among the Republicans. Dave Weldon's campaign was late to get in, slow to ignite and it does seem like a coronation of Connie Mack."
So that leaves local races and congressional and legislative primaries as the main driver to get people to the polls. Perhaps the most talked about race is in central Florida between Republican U.S. Reps. John Mica and Sandy Adams, a contest that guarantees at least one member of Congress will lose a job.
If history is any indication, turnout will be light.
In 2008, when there were no statewide races, only 17.7 percent of Florida's voters cast a primary ballot. And even in 2010, only 22 percent of voters cast primary ballots even though there were competitive statewide races involving both major parties.
There are several congressional primaries around the state that might boost turnout in some areas.
The Legislature redrew Florida's congressional maps this year and had to carve out two new districts. While doing so, they put Mica and Adams in the newly drawn District 7, a compact geographical area that includes a small part of Orlando and the area northeast of it. Mica opted not to seek his 11th term in the new District 6, which is made up of a large portion of his current District 7.
There's also a scramble for four congressional seats with no incumbents because of the two new districts, the seat Mack is giving up for his Senate run and the vacancy created by Adams and Mica seeking the same seat.
Mica's decision to run in District 7 created an open seat in District 6, where seven Republicans are seeking the nomination in the conservative district that runs along the Atlantic Coast from Jacksonville to New Smyrna Beach. Among them are Jacksonville city Councilman Richard Clark, state Rep. Fred Costello, lawyer Ron DeSantis and former Ruth's Chris Steak House CEO Craig Miller. Heather Beaven, the CEO of a nonprofit group that helps students finish school and learn job skills, faces lawyer Vipin Verma in the Democratic primary.
In District 19, six Republicans are on the ballot seeking the southwest Florida seat that likely would have been Mack's had he sought re-election. Among them are state Rep. Gary Aubuchon, state Rep. Paige Kreegel, former radio talk show host Trey Radel and Chauncey Goss, son of former congressman and CIA director Porter Goss. The winner will be the heavy favorite to win the conservative district in November.
In Disrtict 22, former West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel faces Palm Beach County Commissioner Kristin Jacobs in the Democratic primary. The winner will face former state Rep. Adam Hasner, who dropped out of the Senate race to seek the seat.
(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
